REMEMBER BACK TO THE DAY THE BOMB'S FELL
AND PLUNGED US INTO A MAN MADE HELL.
AS THE DIVE BOMBERS SCREAMED IN THE SKY
AND SO MANY BRAVE MEN HAD TO DIE
AND MADE SO MANY WIFE'S AND MOTHERS CRY.
THINKING BACK BRINGS A TEAR TO THE EYE.

WE WERE SITTING IN OUR PARLOR SO LONG AGO
LISTENING TO WALTER WINCHELL ON THE RADIO.
OF HOW THE JAP'S CAME WITH THE MORNING SUN
WE HEARD THE BOMBS AND THE MACHINE GUNS.
AND HOW THE BATTLESHIP ARIZONA WENT DOWN
AND THOUGHT OF THE SAILORS THAT DROWNED.

THIS IS THE DAY THAT CHANGED MY LIFE
AND CAUSED ME FOUR YEARS OF STRIFE.
LIKE THE OTHER MILLIONS THAT HEARD THE CALL
I ANSWERED AND PROMISED TO GIVE MY ALL.
LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHERS I LEARNED TO SALUTE
CARRIED A WEAPON AND LEARNED TO SHOOT.

WAS TAUGHT TO HATE AND TAUGHT TO KILL
LEARNED TO RUN AND OBEY THE WHISTLES SHRILL.
CALL TO STAND NAKED IN THE COLD MORNING LIGHT
OR GUARD DUTY AT YOUR POST ALONE AT NIGHT.
AND YOU WERE TAUGHT THAT WHEN IN A FIGHT
YOUR WEAPON NEVER LEAVES YOUR SIGHT.

WE LEARNED TO HATE MEN WE NEVER KNEW
LEARNED TO RESPECT OUR ALLIES SO TRUE.
RAN UP THE BEACH'S UNDER ENEMY FIRE
THIS WAS PERHAPS OUR FINEST HOUR.
WE SHOWED THE ENEMY OUR MIGHTY POWER
AND WATCHED OUR FRIENDS EXPIRE.

WE REMEMBER THE VETERANS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR
AND ALL THE CONFLICTS WE HAD BEFORE.
FIFTEEN MILLION MEN CAME FROM THE CITIES AND FARMS
AND MARCHED AWAY WITH THEIR FIREARMS.
THEIR PLANES ROARED OVERHEAD IN A DEADLY STORM
AND TO THE ENEMY BROUGHT MUCH HARM.

THE MIGHTY FLEETS THAT WENT TO SEA
DESTROYED ALL HOPES OF VICTORY FOR THE ENEMY.
WHEN THE DAY CAME THAT THE WAR WAS WON
WE WERE SO PROUD WHAT THE VETERANS HAD DONE.
NO MORE THE SOUND OF THE WARS GREAT GUNS
AND THE VETERANS CAME HOME TO REST IN THE SUN.

EXCEPT FOR THE VETERANS LOST AT SEA
THE UNKNOWN VETERANS BURIED IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
FIFTY YEARS LATER NOT MANY OF US ARE STILL AROUND
A FEW RIFLE SHOTS AND TAPS SOUND
TELLING US ANOTHER VETERAN IS LAID UNDERGROUND
SOON THAT’S WHERE AL VETERANS WILL BE FOUND.

~~~ Elmer H. Ake ~~~
1925 - 2007
©